Australia's cities and their local governments, local economies, populations, built environments, housing markets, labour markets, and urban infrastructures need to undergo significant change in a relatively short period of time in the face of challenges that are linked to a set of powerful pressures that will exert new demands on Australian cities. This discussion paper examines several aspects of local area resilience and sustainability in the face of these key 21st century challenges. Its focus is on what the City of Frankston would need to look like by 2030 if it were to align with the COAG objectives for Australian cities---productive, competitive, liveable, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive---and how it needs to engage with its local community to get buy-in to the future plans for the region which depart from 'business as usual'.